Why is Snake Island so important? Are Harpoons a Game Changer?

Why is Snake Island is so important and many more questions are covered by the Naval Historian Marcus Faulkner in this video. Additionally, it covers the development of the naval war from February to June 2022, the the balance of forces, order of battle, the projecting of power ashore, mine warfare, Siege of Mariupol, kill claims / losses, the importance and influence of Turkey, Harpoons and potential future developments.

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00:00 Intro
00:29 Balance of Force at the beginning of the Conflict
01:58 Russian Black Sea Fleet Order of Battle
02:31 Russia takes command of the Black Sea
03:54 The Importance of Snake Island
07:07 Russian projecting Power ashore
10:21 Early Weeks of March in April 2022
12:17 Mines
13:15 The East – Sea of Azov
16:21 Russian Alligator Class Amphibious Ship lost
17:07 Kill claims – War, war never changes
18:10 Siege of Mariupol
18:52 Trade & Economic Blockade
19:56 Loss of Moskva and Significance of it
21:24 Turkey’s Influence
23:17 Implications for Russian Navy
23:44 Implications for Western Navies
25:27 Are the Harpoon Missiles a Game Changer?
27:53 Likely Future Developments?

#snakeisland #harpoon #russiaukraine

[CreepingHistory]

Now this is just perfect timing! Releasing a video on the strategic importance of Snake Island… just after the Russians announced they have left Snake Island. Historians always have impeccable timing 😂

[mrAMMW]

im romanian and i remember back when we had a mini conflict with ukraine over snake island and thinking "this entire thing is so stupid, there is no way snake island will ever be relevant for anything". Crazy how the world can change

[CptJamesCat]

The timing on this video was impeccable lol

[greymauzpcgaming]

Bernhard: This is is great content, and reaching out to naval historians/experts helps provide yet *more* context for what's going on exactly in the Ukrainian - Russian Conflict. Thank you providing non-politicized analysis, through sourcing, and expanding our knowledge of the reality of the conflict.

[preslove]

I love how this channel and military aviation history are increasingly bringing in quality subject matter experts to give overviews on different subjects. You two are definitely some of the best evidence-based policy & current events channels on youtube!

[caintz]

"Are harpoons a game changer?" Captain Ahab certainly thought so.

[katamarankatamaranovich]

"As a gesture of goodwill we lost a bunch of speedboats, troops, SAM systems, as well as, a tugboat, helicopter and cruiser. All according to plan" © russian MOD, probably

[victorfinberg]

This video is very interesting and quite informative. I would like to add a couple of points.

The Harpoon missile is an old system, and it is relatively very weak: it is subsonic, fairly short range, and flies fairly high. The Soviet-type anti-missile systems are very well designed to stop such missiles. And that leads to the critical question: how were the Ukrainians able to just ignore all the Moskva's anti-missile defenses?

The point is that the Neptune missile is sea-skimming, and all the data I have seen indicate that none of the Moskva's massive anti-missile armament was *capable* of engaging sea-skimming missiles. And that made the Moskva just a sitting duck. Someone with better access to raw data may want to try checking these points.

The Harpoon has been substantially upgraded over the years, and it may be critically important to know exactly which versions the Ukrainians might be getting, and the capacities of those particular versions.

There is also the fact that the Soviet-style anti-missile defense systems are intended to be used within fleets. Other than the major combatants (cruisers and up), all of their ships have only limited *types* of defenses, and will be very vulnerable as individuals. Of course, non-combatant (support) vessels will have almost nothing in the way of defenses.

[welbhloud]

This video immediately aged like a casket of the finest wine. Cognac even. Congratulations 😆😆 very good video as well.

[JJadx]

yup, well thought out videos and current & fast moving affairs don't always go well together.
but i appreciate these interviews anyway!

[GSXK]

They should change the name of Snake Island to Target Practice Island.

[Mr_Bunk]

6:42
“I can’t see, with the way that the Russians are conducting their campaign in the Ukraine, that they would voluntarily leave the island.” _Marckus Falkner, 20th June 2022_
“as a step of goodwill, the armed forces of the Russian Federation completed their assigned tasks on Zmiinyi Island and withdrew the garrison stationed there.” _Russian Ministry of ‘Defence’, 30th June 2022_
No matter how you look at this, Russia comes off as very weak in this manoeuvre.

[donkane]

Extremely valuable explanation about overall position of the details of operationalactivities fron both sides.
well done. Impecationss are the next developmental steps that can be taken.

Turkey directly involvement would be a valuable asset to Ukraine.
The need of grain routes have to be developed now for distribution routes coming up in the next weeks.

Food routes on an International position engages all nations to support now the Ukraine concerns.

This post is well conceived in its presentation to its readers.

[sevenproxies]

Snake Island just seems like a deathtrap for whomever holds it.

[grizwoldphantasia]

Appreciated. Brings things into perspective that seem obvious once said, but I never would thought of them on my own. Such as the Mariupol defense tying down naval landing forces which otherwise would have been attack Odessa.

[Ye_Old_Grog]

I am very much enjoying this series of videos.
Thank you

[wintermaryland]

Overhead photos yesterday show the entire russian black sea fleet, except one ship, all in port.

They are afraid to leave, just like argenenia in their war with the uk.

[Moredread]

Interesting. Snake Island continues to be in the news. I wonder what will happen now that Russian has withdrawn; probably neither side will occupy it because of its vulnerability.

[podemosurss]

19:55 The Moskva wasn't lost! It merely got reassigned to submarine duty!

[Herdatec]

3:05 "The Iconic Moment, that label of 'Russian Cruiser: go Fuck yourself.' It's historic. We should use that."

That sentence made my day.